Valorie Stover, SFR Realtor, for Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and Vicinity

Just did a check on how the market in my area is doing. I work out of Mission Viejo, CA Population is over 95,000

Total Active on the market

10/18/09- - 238 all homes. 11/19/09- - 235 all homes.

Short Sale Active

10/18/09- -76 out of 238 11/19/09- - 78 out of 235

REO Active

10/18/09-8 out of 238 11/19/09/- - 7 out of 235

In Default Active properties

10/18/09- - 2 out of 238 11/19/09- - 2 out of 235

In Probate this month are 2 properties

That leaves 145 out of 235 as equity sellers for 11/19/09

November is looking about the same as October did. The changes that have happened in Mission Viejo are for the better. We are showing an increase in distressed properties on the market with 87 out of 235. Equity sellers last month were 149 out of 238 and this month we have almost the same, with 145 out of 235. Short sales sellers and REOs are taking a larger percentage of the active market. November is one of the slower buying months and inventory has remained the same.

As we go into the holiday season the market Mission Viejo will not change! Equity sellers were at the high point 68% of the market in August and are now down to 61%. Are we seeing the "shadow inventory" starting to come on the market or is the buying season just slowing down? My pick is the slow market!

We are down from a peak of 74.1% equity sellers in July!

We have 183 properties in backup and 100 that are pending.

Let me know how things are going in your market.

Let me introduce you to the prestigious gated Community of Canyon Crest in Mission Viejo situated on the hills above Lake Mission Viejo. These homes face toward the west with views from many of the back yards of the Lake Mission Viejo. On the boundary which is closes to the lake, is a large park with ball parks, toddles play area, walking and bicycling trails

Included is an outstanding Association Club House with multi million dollars recreational facility, with pools, spa, tennis courts, fully equipped gym and a social hall overlooking a resort like setting with waterfall and lush palm trees. All this within walking distance of beautiful Lake Mission Viejo, that has year round activities including swimming, fishing, boating and summer concerts which are free.

Canyon Crest has twelve distant neighborhoods within its boundaries. Today I am taking a look at two of the neighborhoods. One of the tracts is the Montage, built from 1988 to 1991 and containing 104 homes with 5 different floor plans. The second tract is called Cliffwood, which was built from 1995 thru 1999 consisting of 94 homes and 5 floor plans. Square footage ranges from 2,800 to 3,500 in both of these developments. These homes have very high ceilings, grand staircases, large family kitchens, formal living and dining rooms, massive master bedrooms with 2 walk-in closets attached to super large baths.

Active listings range right now from $720,000 to $1,399,000. There are 6 homes in escrow and 10 sold properties since the beginning of July.

To all the service men who are serving our great country or have served in the past, I send my gratitude to you and your families!

Casta del Sol is a retirement community located in Mission Viejo, CA which was named the safest city in the U.S. It is a planned development of nearly 2000 homes built in a natural environment of gentle rolling hills with many views. When the Santa Ana winds blow, you can see from some locations, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, 7 miles away and in the other direction Saddleback Mountain. Located 1 ½ miles from Mission Viejo Lake with swimming, fishing and boating, it is like living in a resort.

It was built starting in the early 1970's and finished in the1990s, so there are many different floor plans and architectural designs. These are detached and attached homes mostly single story in a guard gated community.

Activities abound both within and adjacent to our community. Having 2 pool, spa, 2 club houses, exercise room, meeting rooms and hobby rooms giving you plenty of socializing locations. Within Casta del Sol there is bowling, library, walking paths, garden club, wood carving, ceramic arts, parks etc.

This is the best location to retire iOcean beaches are only 7 to 10 miles away, lake is 1 ½ mile, mountain is 8 miles, deserts are one hour drive and theme parks in all directions.

Are you considering buying a home when the market is right? Do you know how to find out when that will be? Keeping in touch with what is going on and having the right person watching over the real estate market for you would be a good thing. Realtors pride themselves in researching and evaluating all the data that is available, to see how it will benefit their clients. There are news reports every day that the market is going up, that it is going down, buy now, buy next year, sell, don't sell, how can you possibly know what to do, if the so called experts can't agree on what to do?

Most of the time, the news that is reported, isn't right here in your neighborhood but a generalization of the whole country or at best a large metro area. You can get the facts for your neighborhood from a Realtor and find out what the house down the street is listed for or sold for. Most Realtors have a web site available that will help you to do your searches from. Some of these sites will also help you find out what is going on in other areas of the state, just in case you have to move.

Who better to assist you but someone who is spending their whole day looking at the information you need!